US Asst Secy of Commerce on education mission

As HRD minister Kapil Sibal sweeps in with his delegation next week, a US trade mission led by assistant secretary of commerce Suresh Kumar will be reaching India to explore possibilities in the education sector. HT reports.

As HRD minister Kapil Sibal sweeps in with his delegation next week, a US trade mission led by assistant secretary of commerce Suresh Kumar will be reaching India to explore possibilities in the education sector.

"This happens to be the first education mission to India and follows an agreement reached between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama (when he was there last November)," said Kumar at a pre-visit briefing on Wednesday.

Kumar's team will have representatives from 21 US schools and universities. And its objective is two-fold: seeks students and explore possibilities of doing business independently or with partners in India.

Kumar is of Indian origin - went to Delhi's Hindu college - and anchored news on Doordarshan. As head of the US foreign and commercial service, he spearheads one of Obama administration's high priorities, multiplying exports.

The education mission, Kumar said, will be focusing on two aspects: getting more Indian students to US schools and exploring opportunities for American universities to operate in India, on their own or through partnerships.

The numbers of Indian students in US schools went up this year after dipping steadily, but not enough to grab back the top slot from China, which now heads the list of countries sending most students to the US.